SOUTHERN RAILWAY STEAM EXCURSION/1979

The old Southern Railway used to occasionally operate steam powered excursion trains, over its main lines. On October 6, 1979, I rode such an excursion train from Knoxville TN to Asheville NC. The locomotive was the old Canadian Pacific "Royal Hudson" locomotive #2839, built in 1938. Much of the route runs along the French Broad River.

East of Knoxville, near the Sevier freight yard.

Crossing the French Broad River near Leadville, which is south of Morristown.

Newport, which throughout eastern Tennessee has had a notorious reputation for organized crime.

Along the French Broad River near Wolf Creek, shortly before crossing from Tennessee into North Carolina.

Hot Springs NC, where the train would do a "photo run by". We could get off the train, the train would back up, and then huff and puff by giving us a chance to photograph the locomotive in action.

Hot Springs, after the photo run by. The train has backed up, for us to reboard.